Life, 1919-03-27 · page 14 of 44
Life — March 27, 1919 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Henry Ford's announcement as a 1924 presidential candidate (with W.J. Bryan as vice president). The text mocks Ford's grandiose campaign promises—a $5/day minimum wage, church consolidation, and plans to prevent future wars through economic dominance and subsidizing other nations. The cartoons ridicule Ford's anti-labor contradictions: one shows a man objecting to a "Munitions Private" sign, joking he "used to be a lieutenant"; another depicts Mrs. Jones discovering her husband's army training is "useful"—he can't get a servant and can't find a job. The satire suggests Ford's wage promises ring hollow given widespread unemployment and labor exploitation, exposing the gap between his philanthropic rhetoric and actual worker conditions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: LIFE’S New Presidential Ticket MIUJENKINS PRIVATE For President, For Vice-President Henry Foro W. J. Bryan HE announcement of Lire’s presidential ticket appeared in our last issue has been received with \ enthusiasm by the American people. It is now rea that we are on a basis of permanent peace. Mr. Ford last night: “ Yes, it is true that I hay epted the nomina- tion for the presidency. My idea is that all the bus of the country shall be placed under my charge, an: morals under the charge of Mr. Bryan. I will pay a mini- mum wage of five dollars a day, and my hours of Jabor will range from five to six. Mr. Bryan intends to con- solidate all of the church d form a combination be- tween them and the moving-picture concerns. He thinks that by doing this the morals of the churches will be raised With Mr. Ford and Mr. Bryan in. charge of our affairs, there need be no fear of another war. We understand t! their plan is to subsidize all of the other nations; say, to pay them a fixed sum every “ SAY, BOSS, 1 OBJECT TO THE SIGN ON MY DOOK! 1 USED TO BE A LIEUTENANT" year for the sake of not attacking us, As Mr. Ford very well puts it," We pa our indemnities beforehand, not afterwards.” Inasmuct as we are the richest country in the world, we can afford to do this. For example, in case England, France and Japan con- clude to take over Mexico or any South American country, they come to us first, and we pay them what they tk they are entitled to. Mr. Ford estimates that the last war has cost us about thirty billions of dollars. He says that if we arrange beforehand to pay for the next war on the basis of three or four billions a year—say, one billion to Franc another billion to England and another to Japan—we be ahead of the me at the end of ten or fifteen ye: and in the meantime will enjoy peace and security Edsel agrees with his father about this. Mr. Bryan is also delighted. He says that if we can put this country on a per- manent basis of free silver, grape juice and continuous movie-picture dramas by himself, the world will then be made safe for Malted Milk Orthodoxy. On the whole, we trust that the American people receive this ticket in the same spirit (or spirits) with whic it was offered. We believe that it will cheer but not unduly inebriate, Se Putting It Up to Him Lf OBBLE: After all, it isn’t brains, it isn’t heredity, it isn’t education, but it’s personality that counts in mak- ing a suce MRS. JONES FINDS HER HUSBAND'S ARMY TRAINING VERY USE- Stone: Righto! What would you be, old fellow, with- FUL, SHE CAN'T GET A SERVANT, AND HE CAN'T GET A JOB out personality ? wo waenes, S. comicbooks.com